Extensible fender



G. LOLLI EXTENSIBLE FENDER Filed Oct. 18. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June l21, 1927. K z 1,632,979

l u ENE-I5 E June 21,'1927. 'A 1,632,979

G. Lol-.Ll

EXTENS IBLE FENDER Filed Oct.. 18, 1926 2 SheeS--Sheet 2 f automatically UNITED-STATES PATENT orricri.

\ GUIDO LoIiLr, or CHIioAGdILLINoIs.

, ExTENsrBLn FENDER.

Application mea october 18, 192e. 'serial No. 142,330;

This invention relates to a vehicle fender,

and more particularlyV to a fenderadapted for use on motor trucks and the like, With said fender having extensible end members adapted to be operated automatically by the steering Wheels of the vehicle so that the fender is extended in the direction in Which the steeringvwheels are turned.

'It is an object of this invention to provide an extensible fender for motor vehicles and' the like. v

It is also an object of thisl invention to provide a. vehicle With a fender having spring controlled extensions adapted to be operated by 'the steering Wheels of the vehicle.

It is a further object of this invention' to provide avehicle With a fender having ex-- tensions normally overlapping the fender, said extensions having bearing ymembers thereon coacting with the steering Wheelsv of the vehicle to permit one of the extensions to be projected by one of the'steering Wheels depending upon the direction that the steering Wheels are turned.

It is an important object of this invention to provide a vehicle with an improvedfen'- der having' spring controlled extensions thereon carrying spring controlled shift# able rollers adapted to coact with the steering Wheels of the vehicle to permit either one of the extensions to be automatically.

projected in front of a steering Wheel depending upon the direction in which the r steering Wheels are turnedso that the fender Willbe extended an amount proportional to the turning of t-he steering Wheels and in the direction in which the vehicle is to turn;

rOther and further important objects of this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

' in the drawings:

rigure l is a top'plau view of a motor vehicle chassis equipped with an in'iproved y extensible tender embodying the 'principles e' this invention. V

Figure 2 is an enlarged front elevationv of the extensible fender removed from the vehicle. j

Figure 3 is an enlarged section through the guide members connected with the extensible sides of the fender.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the front end of the vehicle Ashovvingan endl elevation of the fender in position.'

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse sec` tional vieW of the fender ofFigure 2.k

Figure 6 is anv enlarged fragmentary vde? tail view 'taken on line VI+VI of leigure'lKV showing one of thefenderfsupporting brackets secured `in position on a vehicle spring.

Figure 7 is a detail side elevation vof'a'f taken onv line clamping vbracket. taken on line VII-V1I`A of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one ofthe guide roller mechanisms taken on lineY VIII-#VIII of' Figure 5 With parts shovvnin elevation. i "f' vAs shown on the drawings: i The reference numeral' 1 indicates an auto# mobile truck chassis having front steering Wheels 2' and front springs. The front steering Wheels are adapted to beoperated or steered by meansof the steering `vvheel l inthe customary manner. Y

Supported upon the front springs 3 or upon any other suitable portion ofthe chassis across the front of the vehicleis an improvedl extensible fender embodying the principles of this invention. The improved fender comprises a mainbody. portion or section embracing a plurality of'curvedtines Pivotally supported on the upper extension y arm 10 is a hingedmembcr 12. The 'upper connecting barb of the main fender'section or arms 5 spaced equidist-antly apart in par- Y is rigidly secured by means ofl screws, bolts or other suitable means tothe hinge mem n bers 12 carried by the clamping' brackets A9.

10oY y Secured to the hinge members 12 are rearwardly projecting screw studs 13 (Figure 7). The screw studs project through apertures provided in downwardly projecting arins14 integrally formed `on" the lower extension Y brackets 11 of the clamps 9. Engaged on the projecting ends of each ofl the screw studs 13 is" an internallythreaded lock nut 15 provided with an integrally passaged head 16 through which a handle bar 17 `slidably projects to permit the lock nuts 15 to be threaded upon the screw studs 13 to hold the hinged members 12 rigidly securedin position against the bracket extension arms 14. The clamping brackets 9 serve to hold the imain body section of thepfender in position transversely across the front end of the vehicle with :the lower outwardly directed "curved ends of the fender arms 5 being posi tioned a slight distance abovethe level of .the ground. i

Slidably mounted upon each end of *the main bod, section of .the fender is an auxiliary fen er or anextension comprising a plurality of eguidistantly spaced tines or arms 18 which are curved complemental to the (shapes of the fender arms 5 `to seat in j front ofrfthe same, as "clearly illustrated in Figure 5. The auxiliar-y fender arms 18 are `connected by' transversely disposed (up-` per-and lower connecting bars or rods 19 .and

`2,0, respectively, and extend inwardly acrossv y the main fender section with the upper eoiinecting rod sliding through arguide sleeve `the main fender section. The other end of each of the'control springs 23 is secured to the outer end of its ,respective sleeve 24.

i The outer end of each rod `19 extends be-` yond the outermostfauxiliary ,fender arm 18 4and vis bent .at vright angles to afford a vrear-Y wardly directed arm .25. Connected Ato the arm 25 vis a brace rod 26 thellowerend of which .is integrally .connected lwithwthe outer projecting end of the `respective guide rod 20. Thearm 2.5 `projects into a position ad- "jacent Vthe outer side `of its respective steering wheel 2 and ,has slidably mounted therej on a sleeve `27 positioned between a stop collar 28 and a stop disk 29 (Figure 8).

`Supported on the shiftable sleeve27 aretwo ball bearings 3() connected by a cylindrical sleeve 31 having `end plates 32l ,therein against which coiled springsV 33 engage. One. .end of one of the vsprings 33 is connected to the stop 'disk 29'whilethe second end of therother controlfspring 33 is secured `to the stop collar 28. Mounted on the sleeve i 31 and rotatable therewith isa concave roller 34 adapted tobe covered with rubber or any other suitable material to afford a good rolling contact with the side of the wheel 2 with which it contacts.

It willthus be noted that by referring to Figure 1 that the main fenderseetion has been provided with two slidable auxiliary fender sections each of which carries a shittable rotatablefroller 34. The rollers 34 have rolling contact with the respective steering wheels 2 `of the vehicle.

The roperation of the device appears to be self evident frointhedrawings and the description thereof.` .It will be notedV that when the improved extensible `fender ,is}

mounted in position on the front ends of the steering sofY vehiclesprings 3 by means ofthe clamping brackets .9ltliattlie control springs 33 act to normally vhold -tlie auxiliary fender sections in their innermost position positioned over .the end portions ot' the main'fender section. This is, of course, only true when` the steering .wheels are in their normal straight position fparallel to the sides' of the j chassis frame, as illustrated in Figure "1. The main body section or' ,the fender normally is suflicienttoextend slightly beyond the planes of rotation ofthe steeringwheels 2when the "wheels are'` parallel to the chassis sills. In case it is desired to make, a curve to the'riglit around a corner, or at any otherV place, it will be `noted that the steering wheel 4 .when rotated to turn. the steering wheels 2 towardstheri i steering wheelfookingftoward the front ot the car) `toacton itsrespective guide'roller 34 to cause the respective karm25 toymove outwardly thereby causing the respective right hand auxiliary fender section to slide springs 2.3. wheel moves away from its rollers theV left hand auxiliary fender section remains in. its

normal place. In case thewheels are turned qht Awill cause the lright hand- `outwardly against the actionof its control Since thev left hand steering i for the purpose of makinga .left `hand turn Y theleft hand steering Wheel 2 will act on# its roller 34 to cause the left hand auxiliary.V

fender sectionto slide outwardly a distance proportional to the degree that the steering wheels are turned. It will thus be noted that when the steering wheels are turned? eitherto the right or left that the slidable auxiliary fender sections will always be Vpo-V sitioned in front ofthe respective steering wheels so that there is nordanger of a per-` son or object caughtVV in the fenders to travel under the advancing wheels.` When the *steering` wheels'2 are turned back intoV their normal positiontlie control Vsprings 33 act to automatically pullV the extended tender i sections backinto their normal position with the rods 19 and 2() sliding in the respective guide sleeves 21 and 22.

The extensible fender While shown associated With the front steering Wheels of the motor 'truck or automobile chassis may, of course, be used in any similar position on different types of vehiclesl or' the like Where it may be desirable to have an extensible fender of the type herein described.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details of construction may be varied through a Wide range With'- out departing from the principles of this invention, and I thereforey do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a vehicle andthe steering Wheels thereof, of an extensible fender mounted at the front end of a vehicle, and means connected with said fender co-acting With the steering wheels to be actuated thereby to cause the fender to be extended when the steering Wheels are turned.

2. The combination With a vehicle and the steering Wheels thereof, of an extensible fender supported on thevehicle, and roller means carried by the fender and co-acting Wit-h the steering Wheels to permit the fender to be extended either to the right or left depending upon Whether the steering Wheels are turned right or left.

3. The combination With a vehicle and the steering wheels thereof, of a main fender section supported on the front end of the vehicle, auxiliary fender sections slidably mounted on said main fender section, and roller mechanisms carried by said auxiliary fender sect-ions and positioned to coact with the steering Wheels to cause one of the auxiliary fender sections to be extended when the steering Wheels are turned.

4. The combination With a vehicle and the steering Wheels thereof, of a main fender supported on the vehicle, auxiliary fenders slidably mounted thereon, bracket arms carried by said auxiliary fender sections, spring controlled rotatable rollers shiftably mounted on said bracket arms and having rolling engagement With thesteering wheels of the vehicle to cause one of the auxiliary fender sections to be slidably projected to the right when the steering` Wheels are turned toward the right and the other auxiliary fender section to be projected to the left when the A.steering wheels are turned toivards the left.

5. A vehicle fender comprising a main fender section, auxiliary fender sections slidably mounted thereon, springs for normally holding the auxiliary fender sections in a normal position over said main fender section. bracketl arms formed on the auxiliary fender sections, and rotatable rollersl shiftably mounted on said bracket arms.

G. A vehicle comprising a main fender section, lauxiliary fender sections slidably mounted thereon, guides for said auxiliary of, and automatically fendersections,springs for resiliently holding the 'auxiliary fender sections in their retracted positions, brackets formed on said auxiliary -fender sections, sleeves shiftably mounted on said brackets, rollers rotatably mounted onl said sleeves, and springs cio-acting-VWithgtheV yrollers toishiftably hold the same in operative position.

7. A vehicle fender comprising a main fender section, auxiliary fender sections slidably mounted thereon, and means for extending the auxiliary fender sections independently of one another. y8. A vehicle fender comprising a main fender section, auxiliary fender sections slidably mounted thereon, 'mechanisms carried by said auxiliary fender sections adapted to permit the auxiliary fender sections to bek slidably projected independently of one another beyond the ends of the main fender section, and means for automatically returning the auxiliary fender sections to normal position.

9. A vehicle fender comprising a plurality of slidable fender sections, means for extending said fender sections WithV respect to one another iny one direction at atime to cause lengthening of the fender at one end, and means for returning the extended fender section back into normal position.

10. A vehicle fender comprising a main fender section, clamping means for supporting the same in position upon a vehicle, auxiliary fender sections slidable on said main fender vsection,A` guides for said auxiliary `fender sections, brackets carried by said auxl iliary fender sections, spring controlled rollers shiftably mounted on said brackets, and resilient means for automatically returning the auxiliary fender sections back into normal position when released. n 11. The combination With a vehicle, of an extensible fender mountedV thereon, vand means operated by the vehicle for lengthening the fender in one direction at a time a distance proportional to the degree of turning of the vehicle. f 12. The combination With a-vehicle, of an extensible fender mounted thereon, and means operable by the vehicle for lengthening the fender longitudinally in opposite directions independently of one another a distante automatically controlled by said ve- 13. The combination with a vehicle and the steering' mechanism thereof, of an extenl sible fender mounted on the vehicle and extendable in one direction at a time by said steering mechanism. i

14. The combination with a vehicle, of an extensible fender mounted` at one end thereextendable by the steering mechanisms of t-he vehicle.

15. A vehicle fender comprising a main fender section, and auxiliary fender sections slidahly mounted thereon adapted `to permit means operableby the steering mechaniemof 1 the length of the fender t0 be increased au# the vehicle to cause the length of theffenderV tomatcally inrone direction at a time eorre-` to be increased n the direction of `turning 10V `Spending with thediiecton of steengT of of the vehicle. li 5 the vehicle. In testfirnonywhereof I` hevehereunto sub1 i i `l 16. The combination with aV Vehicle, of an scribed my name.

Vextensible fender mounted thereon, Y and i GUIDO L'LL, l 

